Mr. Swift had just returned from his atomic energy plant under construction in the western United States. The elder scientist, whose own discoveries and inventions had led him on many fascinating adventures, was not quite as tall as his six-foot son. But in many other ways, the resemblance between father and son was obvious.
He shook hands with the boys and said, “What’s this I hear about your plane taking off by itself?”
THE HEADLESS GIANT
11
Tom outlined the mysterious episode for his father while Bud developed the pictures in an adjoining darkroom. When Bud returned with the slides, Tom said, “I’ll put them in the projector.” He crossed to his own desk, pressed a button, and watched a screen slide down into place against the far wall. At the same time, shutters dropped over the windows and the lights dimmed. Tom inserted the two slides and turned on the viewing light.
He managed to snap two shots of the plane and the bird 12 TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT ROBOT
“This first picture-” said Tom hopefully, then stopped. The distant aerial shot which appeared on the screen was too faint to make out details and the focus was blurred. “Mm-m, that’s not much help,” he murmured, turning the viewer.
“The next one is a close-up of the crow,” Bud said.
The sharp image of the giant black bird filled the picture area. Everyone gasped and Tom cried:
“That’s no bird!”
“It certainly isn’t,” said Mr. Swift incredulously. “Those aren’t feathers at all.
They look like jet tubes. That’s some sort of missile designed to look like a crow.”